A Dive into Gen Z

by Nick Beltramo

Breaking: The word “Millennial” has been a hot-button term for the past decade in advertising. Now that marketers have gathered a firm understanding of Millennials, our attention turns to the next generation: Gen Z.

Read time: 2 minutes, 40 seconds

Gen Z is the youngest group of decision makers and is comprised of people born after 1995 who are continuing the trends we’ve seen in Millennials. If you are looking to make the most of the impressions you make on Gen Z, it is important to first understand how they interact with content.

Mobile First

The best way to make a lasting impression on a certain demographic with your messaging is by utilizing the platforms and types of screens that group is already using. With Millennials, we have already seen the trends that have come with the digital age, and with Gen Z, we are seeing those trends go even further. The number one screen utilized across all teens is the smartphone. 78% of all teens ingest content on their smartphones on a regular basis, making it by far the most popular format. According to YouTube, there are 500 million mobile YouTube views every day.

Not only is mobile the most popular screen, but it is being adopted by people at an earlier age. Gen Z has been adopting smartphones by the average age of just 12 years old. This early adoption has deepened the connection Gen Z has with their smartphones and made them more tech-savvy than any generation before.

Laptops

Laptops are the second most utilized screen by Gen Z, with an average of 69% of teenagers ingesting content from a laptop. This content ingestion is tied directly to sales numbers, with a majority of teens doing a bulk of their shopping online. Laptops are an extremely important part of digital marketing, as we are still seeing about 50% of online viewership coming from laptops and desktops. Balancing your digital ad spend between the powerhouse platforms of smartphones and computers is a must for modern marketers.

Surprising Insights

When diving into Gen Z, two facts stand out immediately. The first is that television has gone down in popularity once again, sitting at just 68% of teens utilizing it as a major platform. The titan of television is falling, and much of that has to do with the fact that TV is failing to keep up with the programmatic and ever available aspects of mobile and laptop viewership. The second surprising insight is that 62% of teens are using game consoles, just 6% behind TV. Gen Z, much like Millennials, has welcomed in the label of “Gamer” and ingratiated it as part of their identity. Game consoles are an amazing source of potential viewership that are sure to be on the rise over the next few years.

The best way to market to a new generation is by reaching them where they already spend their time. It is impossible to ignore the fact that mobile has become one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. If you are looking for the best guides in the digital marketing industry, look no further than the experts at 2060 Digital.